Method of applying handles to containers



Dec. 16, 1969 F, R, LlNDA ET AL METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES o CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1967 Dec. 16, 1969 F. R. LINDA E METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July :5, 1967 Dec. 16, 1969 FL R. LINDA ET AL METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 5, 1967 Dec. 16, 1969 F. R- LINDA E METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES 'ITO CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed July 5, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 F. R. LINDA ET AL METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Dec. 16, 1969 F' iled July 5,

Dec. 16, 1969 F, R. LINDA ET AL METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 5, 1967 United States Patent O 3,484,515 METHOD OF APPLYING HANDLES TO CONTAINERS Frank R. Linda, Fairfield, 'Coun., and Leigh D. Leiter,

Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to International Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 565,045, July 6, 1966. This application July 3, 1967, Ser. No. 650,989

Int. Cl. B29c 3/00 US. Cl. 264-242 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method for installing handles on paperboard cartons of the gable top variety. The handle has a unitary loop of material terminating, at one end, in the male element of a snap fit closure and, at the other end, in the female eye element of the closure. The male element has a conical surface, a shoulder, an annular groove and a cylindrical stud body. The method involves punching a hole in the gable ridge with a diameter approximately equal to the maximum cone diameter, placing the handle with the male element through the punched hole up to the cylindrical stud body and with the eye mated with the conical surface, simultaneously snapping the eye into the annular groove and pressing the stud body through the punched hole in an interference fit, and then cold heading the conical tip while maintaining the stud body in axial alignment with the female eye.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part that discloses and claims subject matter disclosed and claimed in our earlier filed copending application Ser. No. 565,045, filed July 6, 1966, now Patent No. 3,373,924, which application in turn in part discloses and claims subject matter disclosed and claimed in our earlier filed application Ser. No. 521,362, filed Jan. 18, 1966, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method for attaching handles to containers, particularly to gable top paperboard containers of the type used for merchandising and carrying milk or other heavy fluids.

In the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 565,045 there is disclosed and claimed a type of plastic handle readily adapted for application to large paperboard containers of the type widely used for merchandising milk in half-gallon or gallon quantities. Very generally speaking, the handles of that application are designed and constructed to be attached to the containers by the use of mating male and female members. In the detached conditions such members are in loose contact. When attached to the container, the male member is inserted through a punched hole in the gable ridge of the container and mates on the opposite side of the ridge with the female member. In order to avoid leakage, it is important that the fit between the male member and the punched hole be an interference or press fit. The two members are so shaped and proportioned that there is obtained a snap lock between them. However, in order to provide a more permanent attachment of the handle, it is desirable to obtain a secondary locking of the members. This is readily achieved by heading or setting the protruding portion of the male member in a manner analogous to the riveting process for metal elements.

The complete method of attaching the handles requires four distinct steps and in general, when the process is mechanized, there are required three or four operating stations with easy transportation of the containers from "Ice station to station, since it is usual to fill the containers before applying the handles thereto. First, it is necessary to perforate the gable ridge of the container to receive the male member or stud of the handle; second, the stud of the handle must be inserted through the perforation; third, the female member must be pressed over the stud to establish the snap lock; and fourth, the protruding end portion of the stud must be headed to form a permanent lock. The second step may be divided into two sequential parts, first inserting the stud into the perforation and then forcing the stud completely through the gable ridge.

While the method of the invention can be carried out by hand, with the use of suitable hand tools, it is desirable to minimize hand operations. Hence it is an object of the invention to readily attach handles of the type described to gable top containers by the use of a minimum of manual manipulation.

It is a further object of the invention to accomplish both the punching of the container and the locking together of the attaching portions of the handle by powerdriven mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to establish both the snap lock of the attaching male and female members of the handle and heading of the protruding male member in a continuous power-driven operation.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the gable ridge of the filled container is perforated by a power punch, provided with a chute and container for collecting the punchings. This latter feature is particularly desirable where the fluid being handled is milk, since the standards for dairy operation, including legal requirements, demand neat and sanitary conditions. The second station in which the handles are manually applied to the containers is provided with a magazine of the turret type for holding a supply of handles so that they can be rapidly and readily placed in position on the container for the ultimate fastening thereto. At the final station, the power-driven mechanism brings the male and female members into snap lock relationship and in a continuous motion, permitted by a resilient connection between the snap lock tool and the heading tool, forms the final head of the protruding stud of the male attaching portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other objects and features of the invention may be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description of one illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a complete machine comprising an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of a typical handle applied by the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1, with the containers and handles shown in phantom by dotted lines.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view to an enlarged scale taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a plan view corresponding to the elevational view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view to a greatly enlarged scale of the fastening and heading tool of the heading station shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8; and 1 FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views showing the fastening and heading tool in various positions during its operation.

means of a rod 56. Guide brackets 57 and 58 (FIGS. 1

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle attaching machine of the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises three stations, namely, a punching station 20, a handle application station 21, and a heading station 22. The mechanism for these three stations is supported on a framework comprising in general two end A-frame members 23 and 24, interconnected by a top mounting plate 25. Bottom framing is provided by angle irons 136 and 137 welded to the members 23 and 24 respectively, and a steel bar 26 welded to the angle irons 136 and 137. Legs 27 carried by the angle irons 136 and 137 support the entire machine from the floors. Cross braces may be provided for stability. 7

Brackets 28 and 29 secured to the A-frame members 23 and 24 carry a track for supporting and transporting the containers such as 30. This track comprises supporting or slide rails 33 and 34 and guide rails 35 and 36.

The supporting rails 33 and 34 are provided with weld strips 36a and 37 to prevent abrasion of the containers as they pass thereover. Nylon or similar material may be used for these strips. The material sold under the trade name Polypenco Nylatron obtainable from the Polymer Corporation of Reading, Pennsylvania, has been found quite satisfactory for this purpose. The guide rails 35 and 36 are also provided with facings 38 and 39 of similar material for the same purpose. Facings 38 and 39 may eX- tend over the edges of the guide rails.

Following the heading station there is provided a turntable 135. The surface of this table is at the level of the supporting rails 33 and 34 so that the finished containers can be readily received thereon.

The punching station is provided with an air motor 40 of the pneumatic piston-driven type for driving the punch. As shown in more detail in FIG. 4, this motor and its driven mechanism are pivotally supported at the rear by two brackets 41. In order to maintain the punching mechanism in a normally non-operative position, there is provided a spring balance arm 42 attached at its front end to the motor 40 and supported in the rear by the spring 43 from a bracket 44 attached to the main frace. The spring maintains the punching mechanism normally in an upper position as shown in FIG. 1, and it is brought to the operating or punching position as shown in FIG. 4 by pulling down on a knob-like handle 45.

The construction of the punching mechanism can robably be best understood by reference to FIGS. 4 and 7 in which it is shown in larger scale than in the overall assembly drawings of FIGS. 1 and 3. A yoke 46 is secured to the head of the air motor 40 by a nut 47. The left hand arm of the yoke 46 is provided with a notch 48 which fits over the gable ridge of the container when the mechanism is in the lowered position as shown in FIG. 4. Contact between the top of slot 48 and the top of the gable ridge serves to position the yoke 46 relative to the top of the gable ridge.

The actual punching is performed by a punch pin 49 which is secured in a hole in the piston rod 50 of the air motor' by means or set screws 51. This pin rides in a bushing 52 mounted in the left hand arm of the yoke 46 and after piercing the gable ridge of the container engages a die block 53 also carried by the left hand arm of the yoke 46.

A spout 54 attached to the face of the left hand arm of the yoke 46 and having its opening aligned with the hole in the die block 53 provides a guide for discharging the punchings into a container 55 shown in FIG. 1. The use of this spout and container is most desirable if not necessary where the containers are used for dispensing milk. In such a case the machine will be usedin a dairy where the sanitary standards would not permit the punchings to be scattered on the floor.

The actuating handle 45 is attached to the yoke 46 by and 7) attached to the yoke 46 are so dimensioned as to position the container with respect to the punch mecha nism so that the hole will always be at the proper position in the gable ridge. Bracket 57 preferably acts as a spring to push the container against bracket 58 which affords a positive location. It is desirable that the positive location of the container be achieved relative to the gable ridge end adjacent the handle attachment location. In this way the handle will not be mislocated if, as sometimes happens, the gable panels are offset from each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, the handles are attached adjacent the left sides of the containers. If the handles were attached adjacent the right sides in this embodiment of the invention, a single positive container locating stop at the right end of the container would afford adequate container locating.

The operation of the air motor is achieved through the use of a microswitch 59 mounted on the top of the yoke 46 by means of a bracket 60. The microswitch is connected through a cable 61 to a mechanism generally designated 62 and which may include a timing device and a solenoid operated air valve which controls the supply of compressed air to the air motor 40. The microswitch is operated by a switch pin 63 carried in a hole through the yoke 46. Normally, the switch pin 63 is retracted by spring 64 but when the mechanism is brought into the operating position the lower end of the swtch pin 63 engages the gable ridge of the container and is pushed upward to operate the microswitch to its closed position. This is illustrated in the operating position of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4. As shown in this figure while the microswitch has been operated the air motor 40 has not yet functioned to advance its piston rod 50 and the punch pin 49. It is desirable that the microswitch 59 operate a non-recycling timer which in turn will operate the solenoid operated air valve a short time after the microswitch has been operated. This time delay, which may be of the order of A1 to /2 second, insures that the air valve will not be actuated before the yoke is fully down on the gable ridge. The air cylinder is released and the punch pin 49 is retracted by the timer after the hole has been punched in the gable ridge. Typically the forward extension and retraction of the piston rod 50 and punch pin 49 will require about /2 second.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3 the air motor 40 and an additional motor for the heading station to be later described require air conduits, pressure regulating valves, gauges and the like. While these are illustrated, particularly in FIG. 3, they are conventional and will not be described.

The second or handle application station of the machine comprises a turret-like magazine 70 having a plurality of radial arms 71 on which the handles may be readily hung for application to the containers. The mechanism 70 is rotatable so that the handles may be applied to the hanger 71 from the rear of the machine and readily rotated to the operating position by the operator in front of the machine. For etficient operation all handles on the magazine should be oriented identically.

The preferred type of handle which the machine illustrated is designed to install as shown in perspective FIG. 2 is that described and claimed in the aforementioned copending application, Ser. No. 565,045.

Briefly, the handle is of a five-sided or pentagonal loop shape with a substantially horizontal hand grip side 81 joined at its extremities with two perpendicular sides 82 and 83. These in turn are joined respectively to tWo inward sloping sides 84 and 85. The sloping sides 84 and 85 terminate in respective tabs 86 and 87. The male tab 87 is provided with a stud 88 which engages a hole 89 in the female tab 86.

As is shown moreclearly in the enlarged view of FIG. 9, the stud 88 comprises at its extremity a pilot portion 90 which should be tapered and is preferably conical in shape. The base of the pilot portion 90 is an annular shoulder 90' whose diameter is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole punched in the gable ridge to afford a slip fit. For example, if the punched hole had a diameter of 0.193 (which with manufacturing tolerances might be from 0.1928 to 0.1931), the annular shoulder 90 might have a diameter, with manufacturing tolerances, lying in the range of 0.188" to 0.193. Thus the pilot portion 90 and shoulder 90 can relatively easily be pushed through the hole punched in the gable ridge. This permits pilot portion 90 to engage hole 89 in female tab 86 so that hole 89 will be aligned with a cylindrical intermediate portion 91 of stud 88. The portion 91 is formed as an annular groove in stud 88 and has a diameter substantially equal to that of hole 89. Inwardly of the annular groove 91 the stud 88 has a cylindrical body portion 92 which projects integrally from tab 87. The body portion 92 has a diameter substantially greater than that of the punched hole in the gable ridge so that a substantial force is necessary to push the body portion 92 through the punched hole. Typically the body portion 92 of stud 88 may have a diameter about .005 to .010" greater than the punched hole diameter.

It is desired that there be an interference or press fit between the body portion 92 of stud 88 and the punched hole in the gable ridge to avoid leakage from the container. With the polyethylene coated paperboard materials usually employed in making gable top milk containers of the gallon size, this construction (with the dimensions referred to) will require a force of the order of 80 pounds to force the stud body portion 92 through the hole in the gable ridge.

As shown in FIG. 9, the hole 89 in female tab 86 is provided with a recess 93 into which annular shoulder 90' fits when the tabs 86 and 87 are brought into interlocking relation.

The handle 80 is so shaped and proportioned that the closure tabes 86 and 87 are urged into contact with each other. This has certain advantages particularly the avoidance of interlocking between different handles thus making them much easier to manipulate. The use of the con ical shaped termination for the stud 88 not only contributes to the snap locking feature but also has an additional advantage. This is the fact that while the tabs are normally urged into contact with each other, the stud 88 is only partially inserted in the female tab 86. Consequently, they can be very readily separated for the insertion of the stud 88 through the hole in the gable ridge of the container. A minimum of manipulation and a very small force are required to snap the stud 88 through the hole.

After a handle such as 80 has been inserted in the punched hole in the gable ridge the container carrying such handle is advanced to the heading position.

The overall mechanism of the heading position is quite similar to that of the punching station with the obvious exception of the tooling elements.

Thus, referring particularly to FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, there is provided an air motor 100 for operation of the mechanism. This is pivotally supported at its rear by brackets 101 and 102 carried by the top plate 25 of the general assembly. The arms 103 and 104 of the air motor have axial terminations which engage bearings in the brackets 100 and 102. This is similar to the support for the motor 40.

A spring balance 105 attached at its upper end to the frame of the air motor 100 holds the entire mechanism in its normal upper position by the action of the spring 106. This position of the mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 the mechanism has been brought into the operating position by pressure applied to the handle 107 by the operator.

A double yoke 108 is mounted on the face of the air motor 100 by means of a nut 109. The tool mechanism 110 which will be later described in more detail with reference to FIG. 9 is attached to and carried by the piston rod 111 of the air motor. The outer cylindrical member of this tool rides in a bushing 131 carried by the central arm of the double yoke 108. A stud setting socket button 112 is carried by the left hand arm of the double yoke=108.'This acts as an anvil in the locking and heading operation. The knob 107 is secured to the yoke 108 by the rod 113.

Ina manner similar to the control of the punching mechanism the control of the air motor 110 is effected by a microswitch 114 which is supported from the yoke 108 by a -bracket 115. A switch actuating pin 116 having an enlarged'head portion 117 which engages the top of the gable ridge actuates the microswitch 114 when the mechanism is moved into the operating position in which it is shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8. In the normal upper position of the mechanism the actuating pin is held in a non-operating position by the spring 118. Movement of the actuating pin is confined by a locking pin 119 inserted through a hole in the left hand arm of the yoke 108 and having its inner end riding in a slot in the head 117 of the actuating pin 116.

The microswitch is connected through a cable 120 to a non-recycling timer and solenoid operated air valve mechanism 121-which controls the application of compressed air to the motor 100 in essentially the same manner as in the punching operation described above. However it is desirable to have a time delay in release of the compressed air of about 3 seconds. This holding time provides better cold heading. The operator does not need to hold the head down because the head will be held down by the weight of the container until the air is released and retraction of the tool mechanism 110 frees the container.

At the heading station there are provided guide brackets 77 and 78 for positioning the container with respect to the heading mechanism. The brackets 77 and 78 function in the same Way as is described above with respect to brackets 57 and 58. Similarly, contact between the yoke and the top of the gable ridge serves to afford proper vertical positioning of the yoke 108.

As indicated above, the tool portion of the mechanism of the heading station is best illustrated in enlarged view of FIG. 9. A heading pin 122 is supported in a hole 132 in the piston rod 111 of the motor 100 being secured therein by set screws. Surrounding the heading pin is a series of spring washers 123. These may for example be B-elleville spring washers of the type manufactured by the Associated Spring Corporation. Instead of using spring washers a helical spring or similar resilient coupling may be used. Riding on the end of the heading pin 122 there is a cylindrical snap lock sleeve 124. The sleeve 124 and the spring washers 123 are held in assembled relation on the pin 122 by a retaining sleeve 125. A set screw (not shown) may be provided to prevent sleeve 125 from rotating with respect to piston rod 111. Threads are formed on the inside of the right hand end of the retaining sleeve 125 and on the end of the piston rod 111 for holding the two members in secured relationship. The sleeve 124 has an enlarged or shoulder portion 126 which rides on the inside of the retaining sleeve 125 and is held therein by the internal flange 133 at the end of sleeve 125.

The anvil 112 which is recessed to receive the male tab 87 also has a cut out portion 129 to provide clearance for arm 85 of the handle. The left hand end of the heading pin 122 is shaped for piloting and forming the end of the stud 90 in the cold heading operation as indicated by the lines 130 and shown in FIGS. 9-12. A dimple in the end of heading pin 122 serves to hold the piloting tip of the stud in axial alignment during cold heading.

In FIG. 10 the piston rod 111 has been advanced to the position in which the snap locking operation is just beginning. The sleeve 124 has come into contact with the female tab 86, and male tab 87 has just been seated in anvil 112 via Slight shifting of the container to the left.

In FIG. 11 the piston rod has further advanced to the position in which the snap lock has been completed, the body portion 92 has been pressed through the hole punched in the gable ridge, and simultaneously, the female tab 86 has been forced over the conical portion 90, and snap locked on the small diameter neck portion 91. In this position the heading pin 122 is just coming into contact with the piloting tip of the conical portion 90 of the stud 88.

In FIG. 12, the piston rod has completed its travel and the conical end 90 of the stud has been upset to produce a locking cap 130, whose radial expansion has been limited by the inside cylindrical wall of sleeve 124. Thus there is produced a second positive lock between the two members of the handle similar to a riveting operation where metallic members are concerned. It will be noted that as the heading pin 122 is advanced to this final position the locking sleeve 124 is forced rearward within the retaining sleeve 125 against the pressure of the springs 123 as illustrated. For proper cold heading it is important that the stud 88 be held in axial alignment as the piston rod advances and the piloting end of the stud is deformed. For this purpose the recess in the end of heading pin 122 should be shaped and proportioned, as with the dimple shown, to hold the piloting tip of the conical portion of the stud and prevent the latter from being moved out of axial alignment with the balance of the stud.

While the apparatus described is highly desirable for attaching the handle to the container, this operation can be performed manually with the assistance of simple tools. Likewise the operation can be performed with other forms of apparatus, e.g., more sophisticated automatic machinery.

In a manual operation, a hole of the proper diameter would first be punched in the gable ridge. As a second step, the handle would then be positioned above the gable ridge and the piloting end of the stud would be inserted through the punched hole and the eye of the female end of the handle would be mated with the piloting end of the stud. The third step would involve forcing the body portion of the stud through the punched hole in the gable ridge to achieve an interference fit. A fourth step, which preferably would be conducted simultaneously with the third step, would be to snap the eye ring of the female end over the annular shoulder and into engagement with the annular groove to provide a snap fit. Finally the conical portion of the stud would be cold headed While the piloting tip was held in axial alignment with the balance of the stud.

The terms and expressions that have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of attaching handles to the gable ridge of containers of the gable top type by means of attaching ends formed as male stud and female ring members, said male member having, in axial alignment, a cylindrical base section, an annular groove adjacent said base section, an annular shoulder adjacent said groove and a tapered piloting end extending from said shoulder to a free end, said female member having a circular opening having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said groove but being substantially smaller than the diameter of said shoulder, comprising the steps of:

(l) punching a circular hole in said gable ridge, said hole having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said shoulder but being substantially smaller than the diameter of said base section whereby when said base section is forced through said hole in a subsequent step an interference fit is achieved therebetween;

(2) placing a handle in juxtaposition with said gable ridge and with said piloting end, shoulder and groove of said stud extending through said hole so that said piloting end of said stud engages said circular opens;

(3) forcing said base section through said hole in said gable ridge;

(4) forcing said piloting end of said stud through said circular opening to cause said circular opening to be aligned with said annular groove in a snap engagement;

(5) cold heading said piloting end of said stud; and

(6) holding the tip of said piloting end in axial alignment with the balance of said stud during said cold heading step.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 in which said tapered piloting end is conical in shape.

3. The method set forth in claim 11 in which the diameter of said cylindrical base section is of the order of 0.005 to 0.010" greater than the diameter of said punched hole.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 in which said third and fourth steps are conducted simultaneously.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,466 2/ 1891 Platt. 1,945,932 2/ 1934 Caley. 2,705,346 4/1955 Schlabach et a1. 264242 X 2,828,393 3/1958 Wingard. 2,896,889 7/1959 Hershberger et al. 3,315,574 4/1967 Field at al. 2,327,924 8/ 1943 Mounts.

FOREIGN PATENTS 565,704 3/1958 Belgium.

CHARLIE T. MOON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Patent No. 3, 84,515 Dated December 16, 9 9

F. R. Linda et al.

Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 3, line 20, "*weld' should be wear line +2, "frace" should be frame line 60, "or" should be of Col. 4, line28, "swtch" should be switch Col. 5, line 38, "tabe's" should be tabs Col. 8, line 34, "claim 11" should be claim 1 SIG NED AN SEALED JUN 9 1970 A WILLIAM E. SGHUYLER, JR-

Ed d M, Fl h 1 Commissioner of Patents Attcsting Officer 

